“Can you deal with her? I know I rushed here but I am out of magic.” I ask.

“Easy.” Meuko growls.

Zordel charges Meuko, delivering swift strikes. While Meuko manages to block them, she is bleeding from the points where the attacks landed.

“I got you, Volt.” Julie says, healing me.

“Die.” Zordel says, kicking me.

I know her sharpened bones are an advantage so I use the blade to block the kick.

“What is she?” Meuko says, kicking Zordel.

Zordel is foaming at the mouth. Her combat instincts have completely overtaken her. With her arms, she grabs Meuko’s leg and cuts it, retreating as soon as Meuko counterattacks.

Zordel is like a wild animal.

“She is called an iminya.” I say.

A knife flies towards Julie. I push her back and intercept the knife. With my leg.

“No time to heal me. Focus on the fight.” I say.

Zordel has knives.

How could I forget that?

Meuko rushes her, preventing her from throwing anything else. Right before landing a hit, she lets her magic loose, enlarging her body. Zordel deflects the strike, kicking Meuko again.

She is too experienced in unarmed combat for Meuko. As long as she can avoid Meuko’s strong attacks, her strikes will eventually tire Meuko out.

From our right, Daldrag comes running towards Zordel, driving her away from Meuko.

“Whatever you are planning, do it quick. The wizard is dangerous.” Daldrag says.

I look at where Daldrag was. Nibwen’s body, arms separated from the rest of it. The head is reduced to nothing more than pulp, blood spread in all directions. This hobgoblin truly is strong. As if I did not know.

“She is mine.” Meuko says, filled with rage at the sight of the hobgoblin who almost killed me.

“I need you, Meuko. Look at them. We cannot get through that on our own.” I point at the undead army.

“Sis.” Julie begs her.

“Fine. What do we do?” Meuko grunts.

“We get Meuko over to that weird magic wall. From what I am seeing, it is too strong for you to break it. So, I need you to make just a small slit in front of that wizard. We need Julie close enough that she can use her golden rope. We aim for the hand holding the book. I will cover you. Got it?” I explain.

“Simple enough. You sure I cannot destroy it?” Meuko asks.

“Certain.” I say, eyes glowing with magic.

“I can heal you now.” Julie says.

“Use a shield first.” Meuko shouts, pointing at multiple flaring projectiles flying at us.

These undead can use basic magic, throwing fire missiles the size of fists.

Julie raises a blue dome, protecting us from all strikes.

“Now. Charge.” Julie says, letting her dome fade, realizing the urgency of the situation.

We run towards the army that stands between us and Tiaj, getting through the multiple hands that are trying to break through the earth. I notice that the sky above is darker, clouds gathering faster than normal. The ground is brittle and dry, the complete opposite of what you would expect from soil around a lake.

Whatever this ritual is, it is draining the land of life. I do not care about the world’s evolution. I only know this hurts my Village. And I cannot have that happening.

Meuko takes the first bunch of dead goblins with her, shouting as she fights. Julie conjures a shield in front of her, the size of Meuko. Instead of using it defensively, she sends it flying towards the goblins, pushing them back, destroying a few in the process.

I strike any goblins in front me with my sword, not giving them a chance to move. Their reduced mobility is the only aspect I can take advantage of.

Do not stop.

“Blunt instruments are more effective.” Sylvar shouts.

I look behind me. Snaray is next to Sylvar, pushing him down, avoiding a crossbow bolt.

If anyone can outmaneuver Higaun, it is Sylvar.

I dodge a flaming projectile, swiping two goblins with a kick. There are more coming from the lake.

“There is no end to them.” Meuko shouts, grabbing goblins and using them as weapons.

“He is too far.” I respond.

“We got this. We have to.” Julie says, clearing a group of goblins with a blast of magical energy.

Multiple goblins finally erupt from the earth behind us, starting to encircle us. We have to go through twenty more lines of these corpses.

“Meuko, you are going too far. We need-” I dodge a strike, cleaving a goblin in two. “All three of us.”

Julie resorts to using her staff to block a few attacks, cracking skulls with every chance she gets. I have to say, they are all better than the last time we fought.

But this is not enough. I am not strong enough. I can never go back to that place. I will not be the goblinoids’ plaything anymore. Anything to stay away from that place. That hole with all my blood and pain.

I did it once already today, I can do it again. Just focus on breathing as much magic as possible. If I can gather enough, I can blast all of them away.

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With the first breath, I know there is something wrong. My lungs are burning, my breath is shaky and my eyes are straining, forced open because of the pain.

Push through it. This is nothing. The mist gathering around me and waves of pulsating energy emanating from my body draws everyone’s attention.

“What are you doing?” Sylvar shouts. “Do not use magic from this place.”

I drop on my knees, blood pouring out of my eyes.

“I need more.” I growl, bloody foam gathering in my mouth.

I can feel the energy. It is cold, deadly. But it is better than nothing and we need all the strength we can get.

“Sis, I need help here.” Julie says, covering me.

The bodies keep coming from the lake. Twenty lines in front of us. Fourty steps and we are there. They cannot reinforce their defense but they can surround us and kill us. The only option is breaking through and taking down the one who commands them.

“I am coming for you, Tiaj.” I shout taking a final breath in.

Meuko rushes to our side, only to get hit by multiple projectiles. She cleverly avoids them by reducing her size back to normal again, choosing to save her magic for when she has to go up against that transparent wall.

I shout in pain, sickly magic pouring out of my wounds. Both my eyes flare with magic, the ground rumbling at my feet. I let the magic flow freely through my body, releasing shadow tendrils all around me.

Julie jumps in front of Meuko, blocking a shadow tendril with a glowing shield. The shield itself shatters but is enough to block my burst of uncontrolled energy.

The rest of my shadow tendrils fly out, shredding the goblins. A viscous liquid seeps from these extensions of my magic, corrupting the land even further and destroying our enemies. I scream, not fully able to control them. The tendrils keep writhing, in search of new victims.

“Not them.” I growl, diverting my new instruments of war away from Julie and Meuko.

Just a few more of them. Just a few. Kill them.

Goblin parts fly away, ground patches turn to dust. I Might not know the full extent of Tiaj’s efforts here but I know enough. This magic is evil. The only reason he has not killed us already is because he made one mistake.

He thought this battle would turn out like all the previous ones he won. He thought that his group was enough to stop me and any goblins or hobgoblins. He was not expecting my three friends. He was not expecting this version of me.

“Volt. I need you to calm down. Your body is tearing apart.” Julie’s voice snaps me out of my power frenzy.

This is too much. She is right. My arms have lost their colour. My skin is cracking in places, blood flowing inside the shadows that flow freely through the ground.

I can still think, though. The pain is not overwhelming. I have to stop this. Yet, the pain from all these nightmares just fuels the fire burning inside me. The memory of the torture is more frightening than anything I have faced before.

“I- I do not know how.” I say, tears running down my face.

“We are trapped.” Meuko says, standing back to back with Julie.

“I know not what you went through but we are here now. Just let go. Please.” Julie says.

Sylvar releases his magic arrows that allow him to follow a target, going over Higaun’s defenses and looping around his back, piercing him in three places. Both he and Snaray jump out of their cover but are unable to reach us, given the ever increasing number of corpses. To their surprise, Higaun rises again. This time, with the help of necromancy. Before he raises the crossbow, a beam of purple light obliterates his living corpse.

Zamayular has finally arrived, launching multiple purple lightning projectiles in the lake, stopping most of the goblins that were rising from it.

“Things have escalated, I assume.” Zamayular grins.

Zamayular properls himself forward with magic, running towards us.

“Well, elf? You planning on covering me?” He shouts.

Sylvar and Snaray use their own projectiles to stop the undead behind us in their tracks.

“It hurts.” I growl.

Hold on. Just hold on for a little longer. Zamayular can fix this.

Some of the shadow tendrils turn to me, wrapping around me, draining me of my own magic.

“Meuko, help him.” Julie says, switching sides with her sister.

Meuko reinforces herself with magic, grabbing a couple of the tendrils, tearing them apart.

“Trust me, the purple one can help me. Get the wall open. Before we all die.” I point at Tiaj, blood running down my mouth.

His words are now louder than the sounds of combat, his book glowing with dark green energy.

“I got you.” I say, guiding the tendrils with all my might towards the goblins in front of us.

They are torn apart, opening a path for Meuko and Julie.

“Do not die.” Meuko says, grabbing Julie and running.

“What are you doing?” Julie responds.

“Trusting him.” Meuko says, running with all her strength.

She swiftly covers the distance, leaving Julie far away enough that both sisters can do their part.

The transparent wall isshooting energy upwards, creating a current, like a reverse waterfall. The momentum probably enhances its own protective capabilities. It is too strong for Sylvar’s bow, as he shoots one enhanced arrow, only for it to shatter against the current. My magic could never penetrate it.

But can it withstand Meuko?

Meuko aims for the base of the wall, growing in size and releasing her magic at once. She screams, putting her hands on the constantly rising magic, bracing against the magical tide itself. The fractured space she offers is enough for our plan to work, as shards of Tiaj’s magic cut Meuko’s arms.

Zamayular finally reaches me, using that magical technique of his to nullify my own.

“Sorry, human. I have to drain your powers. Too toxic for you.”

“Not all of it. I still need to move around. Dire circumstances.” I chuckle.

“Of course.” Zamayular responds.

The tendrils tense, quickly turning from shadows to liquid, seeping into the earth and disappearing from sight.

During this process, I cannot move. Zamayular seems to be able to move around me but he has to stay within grappling distance for his technique to work.

A couple of dead goblins reach us, only for Snaray to jump on top of one, take its head off and throw it at another, before using a javelin to fight the rest.

Sylvar rushes next to us, using his axes to hold the army back.

Julie blows away multiple goblins, before giving herself an opening to do her part.

“There.” Zamayular says, quickly turning towards the dead goblins and raising multiple immobile bodies, flinging them at the rest of the threatening and moving bodies.

The hobgoblin clears the area around Julie, giving her enough space to follow the plan without worrying about being surrounded.

I rush Julie without a second thought, hoping I can reach her in time.

She conjures a golden rope, throwing it at Tiaj. The rope tightens around the arm holding the book with precision. Tiaj grunts but does not relent from completing the ritual. Instead, he and Julie are tugging the rope in the hopes that each will complete their objective.

“Do not let him complete that sentence.” Sylvar shouts.

I slide in front of Julie, grabbing the rope with one arm and putting it over my shoulder, pulling with all my might.

I have to admit. Tiaj has intense focus and concentration. Multiple powerful spells working at the same time, while he is also levitating and reciting a long ritual.

Solidified marbles of magic appear around Tiaj, a sign that the ritual is moments away from completion.

It is enough time for me.

“Meuko, let go.” I pull Tiaj’s arm back enough that he stumbles, surprised to see me offering my help.

The ritual is so demanding that he could not afford to look at us before.

I had it all wrong. He did not just underestimate us. He also trusted in his group and completely isolated himself from all the events around him. That was what was needed from him in order to complete whatever task they have. They all fought to the best of their ability.

Meuko takes a step back, as the wall returns to its original form in incredible speed. The force of the spell’s reform cleaves Tiaj’s arm, separating the arm below the elbow, including the book, from their owner.

Tiaj screams in pain, his magic suddenly disappearing. The wall vanishes, the floating gems around him shatter and the army is reduced into nothing but a pile of bones, the reanimated flesh turning into dust and evaporating. He tries to maintain his concentration only to violently fall down along with the patch of dirt he was levitating.

The crash is enough to break his knees. With the wailing wizard now immobilized due to his own magic, we move towards him.

The battle sounds are replaced by eerie silence, which is broken by Zordel’s snarling. She is still fighting Daldrag. Both of them are covered in injuries, bleeding and barely able to stand.

“Enough, Zordel. You failed.” I say.

“You will tell us all you know.” Daldrag pants.

“I believe I can acquire us that information.” Zamayular says, magic crackling around his fists.

“Like you could make me hurt, hobgoblins. Our curse is stronger than your worst-”

A thin ray of concentrated light cuts off her head.

Tiaj’s remnants of magic, now gone.

“Your own friend?” I growl.

“They were employed. I cannot risk you not taking me as a prisoner. Now you cannot risk losing what I know. You are my best shot at keeping me alive, after all.” He explains, voice trembling out of pain.

The fight is over.

Yet I cannot shake this feeling. This constant dread. What do we do now?